Terry Goddard Testifies for Bill to Cut Meth Production

(Phoenix, Ariz. – Feb. 15, 2006) Attorney General Terry Goddard, joined by legislators and a coalition of law enforcement, children advocates, medical professionals, firefighters and neighborhood activists, today testified in favor of House Bill 2815.

The goal of the legislation is to make it more difficult for meth cooks to purchase the key ingredient needed to make the illegal drug – pseudoephedrine.

Sponsored by Rep. Tom O’Halleran and 41 co-sponsors, HB2815 is similar to a law adopted by Oklahoma in 2004 and by more than a dozen other states since. It would require:

Anyone purchasing pseudoephedrine products to be at least 18 years old.

Anyone purchasing pseudoephedrine products to show identification and sign a log book.

Purchases to be limited to 9 grams of pseudoephedrine over 30 days.

Placing pseudoephedrine behind the pharmacy counter, making it harder for meth cooks to steal the product or buy large amounts of pseudoephedrine in order to cook meth.

"We are experiencing a public health crisis due to meth. This legislation provides an important weapon in the fight to make our neighborhoods safer for our children and reduce risks to firefighters," Goddard said. "Other states have proven this statute is incredibly effective in reducing meth labs. Arizona citizens deserve this protection."

“As a former narcotics officer, I know what works and this is a well proven strategy,” O’Halleran said. “This legislation is part of a comprehensive approach to addressing the meth problem in Arizona. It will provide us with a tool to help protect our neighborhoods from the dangers of meth cooking.”

In addition to championing this legislation, Goddard joined Gov. Janet Napolitano earlier this week hosting the first statewide meth conference. The two-day meeting brought together more than 700 representatives from law enforcement, the medical and treatment communities, children advocates and neighborhood activists to discuss a comprehensive approach to addressing the state’s meth epidemic.